Where The Future Meets The Past
by bubblebuttsbabe
Summary: Slightly AU. Remake of Your Future Looks Bright, Kinda. She went to NYU thinking her past had finally been settled. But she was wrong. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE.
1. Prologue: Premise

**A/N: **HI! This is another story, obviously. But it's not really new. It's a remake. The original was titled "**Your Future Looks Bright, Kinda**" and if you know the story at all, I lost myself in regards to it. I felt as if I was forcing myself to make something out of it. Which really sucked because I don't want to write something that I feel is like a job all on its own. I have enough responsibility on my own that I don't want to be tied like that to a story and that is how I felt. So…I redid it. And this is the very beginning.

You can read the other version because it's still on here. They will be very similar in regards to what I've already given you, however, you will notice (once you read this prologue) that I've gone ahead and jumped a majority of the story that you haven't been given. So you will start out in the future (versus the present that I had in the other version)…although I guess it really is the present since I'm not going back really…I don't know. Whatever…my explanation sounds just great in my head, but you know how it goes when you're trying to tell someone else what the hell you're talking about. So I'll stop.

I'm writing this story (and two others) simultaneously, so updates might be erratic. Depends how fast I type, I guess. My other two stories should be updated by the end of the week, just so you know. ;D

Here's all the pertinent information that you'll need and anything you don't understand, you can just ask.

**Summary: **[Slightly AU [Remake of Your Future Looks Bright, Kinda She went to NYU thinking her past had finally been settled. But she was wrong. It stayed hidden until it reared its ugly head at the most unfortunate time. But she triumphed over it in the end. Now with her future beginning to brighten, her past decides it's not done with her yet.

**Characters:**

Jude Harrison and Tommy Quincy.

Other IS characters: Sadie, Kwest, SME (Spied, Kyle, and Wally), Jamie, Kat, Patsy, Mason, Karma, Chaz, Georgia, E.J., Portia, Darius, Liam, Paegan, Victoria, Don, Stuart, and Yvette. (They will appear accordingly.)

Apolo Anton Ohno, Allison Baver, and Brigid "Bridie" Farrell.

Other Short Trackers: Jordan Malone, Rusty Smith, Shani Davis, J.P. Kepka, Caroline (Hallisey) Kepka, Hyo-Jung "Halie" Kim, Derrick Campbell (Managing Director of ST), and Li Yan (ST coach). (They will appear accordingly.)

_And introducing (for the second time :D):_

Angelica "Angie" Martinez and Martin Martinez.

**Setting**

Toronto, Canada and Vancouver, Canada

New York City, New York and Lake Placid, New York

G-Major, G-Major New York, and G-Major London

New York University

Lake Placid Olympic Training Center

Various other places that I see fit

**Title of FanFic inspired by: **lyrics from the song "Past Future Perfect" by Ocean Blue. (I listened to the song and really disliked it…but the line "where the future meets the past" really struck me…so I decided to use it.)

**Disclaimer [for ENTIRE fan fic**:

I do not own any Instant Star character or anything related to the show. I also do not own anything related to the speedskating world (including athletes, places, competitions, national governing bodies, rules, etc.); I am just a fan. I am not a speedskating extraordinaire/insider, so anything I write about is just from outside influences. I will tell you, though, that I know quite a bit, so I may not be wrong. I do not own anything related to NYU, so anything I write is purely for my amusement and yours (ie. Dorms, classes, majors, etc.). Any songs or references to pop culture and such are also not owned by me, unless I say so in an Author's note. If anything arises that I have not mentioned that is not owned by me also, I will write in an Author's note. Anything else, I will write in an Author's note.

**THANKS MUCHO!**

* * *

**Where The Future Meets The Past**

Prologue

"Premise"

She slid to the wall as the ice underneath her vibrated from the crowd, a smile permanently plastered on her face. She grabbed her skate guards out of the basket in front of her and skated over so that the girls behind her could get their guards on as well. Once they were on, she got off the ice. The heatbox was packed with other skaters and beyond them were the fans.

The fans that were yelling and shouting her name. The ones that were making the ground shake. She walked over to her bench where her belongings stood and waved to the crowd. A group of college boys whistled in her direction causing her to blush slightly, but her happiness never wavered.

She took in the moment. Her head flushed with thoughts of the long and hard road she had taken to get where she was currently standing at the moment.

It made her light-headed, a little winded. She sat down, much to the dismay of the group of boys behind her, but her smile never faded.

How could it?

After all this time?

She had done it.

She had completed her goal.

She was now a National Team member.

She was an Elite.

The smile on her face grew as the realization hit her. And she knew she hadn't been this happy since – well, that day.

The day that she tried so very hard to forget, but couldn't. The one that had changed her life for the better, but also the worst.

But she wasn't going to let her past interfere with her present or more importantly her future. A future she wanted very dearly to prosper in.

She pushed the idea out of her head and focused on the moment at hand as many of her teammates passed her with words of congratulations.

She smiled in return, unable to form coherent sentences because she was deliriously happy.

And she had been prepared. He had told her what to expect, but nothing – nothing – he could have said, done, or shown her would have prepared her for what had happened.

She was in fourth place, round the last corner, when a burst of energy surged through her body. She didn't know where it came from, but she was happy it had. A few crossovers and a jubilant cry later, she was an official member of the U.S. National Short Track team.

And she had only been training for a year.

A very long, excruciating year. A year full of ice baths, blisters, and pulled muscles ending in short tracker thighs and an ass Beyonce would kill for.

But that had taken the cake to what she was experiencing then. Utter and complete happiness.

And it only got better from there.

Out of the corner of her right eye, she spotted him. Coming towards her. A smile plastered on his face, his skinsuit still zipped up to the top, even though there weren't any more races for the meet.

She tried to act oblivious, but he knew better than that.

Picking up her Nike gym bag and placing it delicately on the floor because he knew all too well about the damage mishandling would cause her equipment, he slid onto the bench and pulled her into an enormous hug.

His lips to her ear, he whispered, "I knew you could do it! I had faith in you. That was an amazing pass."

And as she thought her smile couldn't get any wider, it did. He was proud of her and that was all that mattered.

She pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes, noticing the genuine happiness and excitement for her in them.

"Thanks," she said softly, the first and only word she had spoken since she had won her last race.

He didn't respond, instead gazed at her lovingly until they were both called away to separate sides of the heatbox for interviews.

Hearing her name, she reluctantly got off the bench and walked over to the left side of the box, glancing over her shoulder once as he winked at her before stepping front of his interviewer.

She shuddered at his action and smiled widely, ready to turn on the short track charm she had learned from her teammates.

A young blonde reporter stood in front of her, smiling toothily. She cleared her throat once and the reporter started, her pen to her pad of paper, ready for the answers to her questions.

"Jude Harrison, how excited are you, now that you have solidified a coveted position on the U.S. Women's National Short Track team?"

- - - - - -

He groaned in frustration at the frozen computer screen, the names and times standing still for the past thirty minutes.

Stupid Live CyberScoreBoard.

He knew the race was over, but he wanted the results. Badly.

He needed to know.

He had to know.

Suddenly, the screen went black for a split second and then a newly rearranged list of the previous names and times took its place.

He scanned the list and his breath caught in his throat.

She had done it.

She had won. First place.

His girl was now a U.S. short track skater.

He smiled sweetly and pressed the red 'x' with his mouse, pushing his swivel chair back towards his printer, retrieving his boarding pass.

He pushed himself back towards his computer screen and placed the pass in his leather bound G-Major folder, amongst the rest of his important documents.

He logged off the computer for the final time in three years, happy to do so.

For one sole reason.

He was going home.

- - - - - -

She pulled her bad tighter to her body as she trekked through the semi-barren tunnel that led to the athletes' locker rooms. She turned right and pushed the door open just as her phone began to ring.

She pulled it out of the far pocket in her gym bag and opened it, not bothering to check who was calling; she was too tired to care.

"Hello?" she answered hesitantly.

"Jude, congrats!"

Her eyes widened and she sighed. It was her dad. And she hadn't talked to him since offseason had begun...five months ago.

"Hi Dad," she breathed.

She settled down on the nearest bench, noticing the room was completely deserted. She dropped her bag next to her, not caring if she messed up the rocker on her blades. Even if it meant she'd have to fix them when she got back to her hotel room before the banquet.

Stuart smiled on the other side of the phone. He hadn't talked to Jude in so long that it felt so great to do it then. Especially when she had just won.

"Yvette and I were watching that thing online. You know with the black screen?"

Jude sighed heavily. Yvette. Yuck. "It's called Live CyberScoreBoard, Dad."

"Yeah, that thing."

"Well, thanks. That makes one of my many family members who actually cares," she commented.

Stuart grimaced. He knew this was hard for her. She didn't have the support she was used to, but he knew she was strong enough without it and without them. "Jude, you know that's not true."

"Really?" she asked, her eyebrows rising.

"Yes, Yvette was watching too."

Jude scoffed. Her name was beginning to grate on her last nerve. "How can I not forget about her? Silly me," she commented sardonically.

"Oh and your sister too," he added. His eyes widened and he smacked himself on the forehead. _What are you doing?_ he thought.

Jude's eyebrows rose even higher. _They talked?_ She thought. _And I thought today couldn't get any weirder_. "Really? You talked to her?"

"Yeah, just now. She called about…stuff," Stuart said, trying to cover his ass, knowing full well his daughter would not buy a word of it.

Jude's eyebrows furrowed immediately and she sat up straight. She knew something was up. Her sister hardly called her father anymore, let alone talked about _stuff_ with him. After all the drama they went through between both of their parents, Jude stuck to communicating with Stuart and Sadie had their mother, Victoria. It meant for less surprise visits and a hell of a lot less drama.

"_Stuff_, Dad?" she asked.

"Yeah, something about a meeting or something."

"With G-Major?"

"Um, I think. I forget," he said nonchalantly.

"Wow, you are either getting really senile or you're just a bad liar. I'd go for the latter at this point," she responded.

"Jude-" Stuart started. He knew she hadn't believed him, but he really didn't want to go through this with her. He didn't want to tell her. He wanted her to be able to revel in her triumph, instead of worrying about _this_.

Jude rolled her eyes angrily. "Oh come on, Dad. We all know you and Sadie hardly talk and when you do, it's just a bunch of arguing cause she still doesn't understand how you are still with Yvette."

"Jude, leave Yvette out of this."

"Fine, I don't care," she shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. "But if we aren't going to talk about _that_, then can you at least tell me what you _did_ talk about with her?"

Stuart shook his head. "She told me I couldn't tell you."

"What?!" Jude yelled. It was then that she was officially grateful the locker room was barren. She didn't need anyone else in her drama.

Jude heard her father sigh loudly on the other end. "Jude, calm down."

"I can't calm down. You and Sadie are talking about me behind my back and you want me to calm down?"

"Jude, it's for your own good," he stated.

Jude clenched her jaw. "Fine, Dad. When I visit Sadie next week, I'll ask her."

"No, Jude. I don't think you should go and visit her. Not now, she's really busy," he spat out quickly. That was the _last_ thing anyone needed. Especially Jude. She couldn't go. It wouldn't end well.

Jude made a sound in between a scream and a grunt. She didn't want to have this conversation anymore. Everyone said she was strong, but when given the chance to prove it, they all tried to defend her. It never worked out well. "Dad, stop lying!"

Stuart was beginning to get frustrated. He knew he shouldn't have called, but it wasn't like him to just text his congratulations to Jude. She would have been heartbroken even if she never admitted it. If only he hadn't opened his mouth. "She is busy, Jude. She has to deal with that ass of a man-" he started.

"Darius works at the New York division now?"

"No, Tom does," he finished. Stuart's eyes widened incredibly. He had done it. Even when he knew he shouldn't have. He had. He groaned loudly at the ass he was making of himself.

Jude closed her eyes, thinking she had heard wrong. That her mind had been playing tricks on her. "What?" she breathed.

_He's back_, Jude thought.

Stuart had no idea what to say. It wasn't as if he could tell her it was a joke. Because if it was, he'd kill whoever started it. This was _not_ what anyone needed. "I mean, um, a, um. Shit. I'm sorry, Jude."

Jude sat in silence for a few seconds, having felt as if she had gotten the wind knocked out of her and she couldn't breathe. She looked down at the concrete floor in the locker room and sighed. "Yeah, me too. I think I'll call Sadie and tell her I'm going to postpone my trip for a bit."

Stuart nodded, noticing the instant sadness in her voice. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

Jude sat up slightly. "Yeah, look Dad. I gotta go. I have a banquet to go to."

"I'm sorry, Jude. You shouldn't have found out this way. I am really sorry. But I'll let you go, so you can get your awards. Have fun! Yvette wanted to tell you Congrats and she loves you! I love you too, honey. Congrats again!" he exclaimed, trying to bring back some of the excitement he had diminished in his daughter with his announcement.

Jude nodded absentmindedly. Her mind was on one thing. Tommy. This was not good. "Yeah, thanks, Dad. Tell her I love her too. Bye."

Stuart's eyes widened. "Okay, Jude. Bye."

She hung up her phone and tossed it onto her bag before slumping down and putting her head in her hands.

Instantly, her head shot up again as her words finally registered.

_Yvette wanted to tell you Congrats and she loves you!_

_Tell her **I love her** too._

Jude sighed dramatically, picking up her bag and phone. She cringed at the thought of even being remotely kind or respectful towards Yvette. She knew she should have gotten over her and all of the havoc she had helped cause on her family, but she wasn't. Not yet.

And if there was one man who could conjure up as much confusion and craziness with just his name, it was Tommy Quincy.

She groaned as she pushed the door open, leaving the USOEC for the last time that weekend.

As she walked to her rental car, hope rose in her. Hope that the banquet hall had a bar.

Because she was going to get drunk.

And party the night away.

Because she was now amongst the Elite. She was a U.S. Short Track team member.

And not even a fucker like Tommy Quincy was going to take that away from her. Ever.

She was going to make sure of it.

* * *

**A/N**: I'm sure you have questions now, especially if you've read the original (i.e. Why did Tommy leave?). I'm going to try my best and answer them accordingly. I'm still writing the next chapter, so you don't get a preview this time around. Sorry!

But I will tell you, you'll get to see Tommy coming home and Jude coming off of her high from winning. :D

**A/N 2**:_USOEC_ United States Olympic Education Center (located in Marquette, Michigan; it is part of Northern Michigan University where student athletes train and where half the– mostly development – short track team used to train before they moved to SLC, Utah last year). Only the development team currently trains there; any national team members I believe are currently training in SLC. It is also one of four OTC (Olympic training centers) in the US. If you have any questions on ST, feel free to ask. ;D


	2. Chapter 1: Coming Home To What If's

**A/N: **I'm posting because I only because I think this chapter is okay, it's not great but I'm just trying to get myself to a point where I can get things together, if that makes any sense.

I hope this chapter answers some of the questions you may have. It also might add some more. Sorry.

**THANKS:**

anothercasualty: I know. I don't know if that's such a good thing, but we'll see. YAY! I hope I can answer them as best as possible. That always makes me happy. Even if this story sucks, if it sheds some light on short track/speedskating, then I am happy. I love short track. LOL. Now you don't have to wait.

HopelessRomantic984: I hope so. LOL. Most people haven't, but at least you know who Apolo is! I love him too. LOL. Okay, I'm a big fan…whatever. He's just an amazing athlete (and a pretty good dancer). Anyway, I hope I can get this story going the way I'd like. Until then, I hope this chapter helps explain things you might be questioning.

**Disclaimer:**

**R&R or R&L please.**

**THANKS MUCHO!**

* * *

**Where The Future Meets The Past**

Chapter 1

"Coming Home to What If's"

He tossed his keys in a bowl on the hallway table before dropping his bags next to him and taking a look around. He had just spent an 8 hour flight getting back home.

Home was now a loft in downtown New York City that was fully furnished and paid for by G-Major as he was now a full-time employee.

He was producer to be exact.

He took in his surroundings, the furniture tattooing itself into his brain. The living room was simple but masculine.

Leather and metal. Black and white.

Whoever designed it knew his taste. Very well.

And then it hit him as he saw the entertainment center, the stacks of CDs calling out to him.

They were all alphabetized. But not just the normal, sane way. They were alphabetized his way.

Gender first, then genre, then artist.

Angie had done it.

He inwardly cringed as her name popped into his head.

It was one of the prices he had to pay coming home; meeting with his past.

A past he had tried to get over very hard. He had spent three years trying to get over it. But coming home and seeing that his past had never really left him made it almost unbearable.

Angie was now an employee of G-Major. As was someone else he refused to name. At least now anyway. Portia and EJ had taken her under their coifed wings and molded her into one of the hottest PR managers in the industry.

She had a gift; she knew how to sell a story. _Her_ way.

Exactly the same thing she had done three years ago. When she spilled her little secret.

He shook his head angrily, trying not to think about that night three years ago.

All it caused him to do was think about her.

Not Angie. Jude.

He and Angie had spilled their guts to each other and ended up breaking up on the spot.

And although he didn't want to admit it, Angie had gotten to him that night. So when Jude anxiously waited for him at the music department's annual talent show, he hadn't been focused on her.

Not even when she poured her heart out to him in song.

A song he had only ever heard once, but had haunted him every day since.

He chose to leave that night, taking a red-eye to London to start his new full-fledged internship with G-Major, leaving everyone and everything he loved behind.

Jude didn't know until the next day when Kwest told her.

She had broken down, crying. Or so Kwest had told him a week later when Tommy was settled in London.

But it didn't matter.

Jude walked away from the music department and any other ventures in that area, focusing on her chosen major, public relations, like she had started to before he walked into her life.

Then abruptly, she dropped out of NYU and through the long musical grapevine, he heard she was training in Lake Placid with some skaters.

And that was it.

She was on a completely different life path now and he was just beginning his.

He jumped, as his phone knocked him out of his reverie, the loud rock guitar resounding off the freshly painted walls.

"Hello?" he answered hesitantly.

"So you're back."

He sighed in relief, the voice of his best friend calling him back to the city he loved. "Hey Kwest."

"Hey T. I was thinkin' since I'm almost done with this demo I'm working on, I was wonderin' if you wanted to stop and get a-"

"I'll be there in 15."

"Cool. See you then."

Tommy placed his phone back into his pocket and smiled as he walked out of loft and down the hallway to the elevator.

It was good to be home.

------

It had officially been two days since she earned a spot on the National team. And even though the thought itself was amazing to think about, she couldn't.

Because of him.

Tommy.

She went to the banquet after her conversation with her dad, trying to find sympathy in a high ball. But apparently the bartender was all out of that.

She spent the rest of the evening at her table, nursing her glass and a wounded heart.

Despite the fact that she tried to hide her emotions, she had forgotten one person who had gotten to know her very well in the last three years.

Apolo.

He sat by her side the entire night, continually asking her two questions. One, how much she had drank that night, and two, was she okay?

The first question was easy. After the fourth Jack and Coke, it became a bit harder.

The second question would never be easy. As long as Tommy was on the same continent as her.

She continually shook her head, but because he had gotten to know her well over the years, he never pressed it.

Half way into her fifth glass though, she abruptly stopped drinking. She hadn't realized what she doing until that moment and then knew she had to stop.

She never wanted to be that girl again.

That girl.

Another part of her past.

It was Apolo's idea to leave the banquet early, just as the guests were filled with liquor and beginning to dance.

They made it back to Jude's room without incidence.

He dropped her off, making sure she made it to bed without incident and stayed with her the entire night, sleeping in the bed next to her.

He knew without asking what the problem was. That guy, Tommy.

The one she cried over for months on end. Until he had shown up and asked her to go to practice with him before one of their World Cups.

She agreed and it was the moment in between her second and third cross over to the finish line that she decided to try short track out. For real.

And forget about Tommy Quincy.

Apolo told her to sleep on it, knowing the decision to join to the ranks of the elite and otherwise social monks was a heavy one. Something that shouldn't have been taken lightly.

She did, but it wasn't until a year later that she decided short track was what she wanted to do. She wanted to make a life out of it as Apolo had.

A life that was filled with sacrifices, triumphs, and disappointments. A lonely life with few highs and innumerable lows.

She closed up shop at NYU and decided to put school on hold for a bit, despite Bridie's incessant nagging. Bridie was finishing up her senior year then and she thought it would have been nice to have someone who knew what she was going through.

Jude moved up to Lake Placid and began training with Apolo's teammates, showing instant talent.

She was quickly invited to train with the National team for good. And then a year later, she had finally earned her won spot as an Elite member.

Apolo knew he couldn't have been prouder.

And neither could she.

She lay on her bed, her legs a little numb from her dryland workout minutes before, and closed her eyes.

His head floated behind her eyes, his smile wide, but his eyes were distant.

She knew that night three years ago that something was wrong. Really wrong.

But she never had time to ask. She was rushed backstage and performed seconds later, only to be drowned out by the sound of audience minutes after her performance.

Her song landed her an A in the class; Mrs. Thompson saying she was a natural, born for the stage. Something Jude liked to forget.

That girl – that Jude – was gone. She had been gone for awhile. And there was nothing anyone could do about it.

So when she tried to meet up with her excited fans, they were sans Tommy. And it was the high that she experienced from being on stage that caused her not to worry.

Only then did she come crashing back down to Earth the following day when Kwest, her sister Sadie's boyfriend, and Tom's best friend, spilled the news.

He had left early that morning to London because G-Major had offered him an internship there, where he was able to finish his degree and help produce fledging artists at the same time.

He couldn't pass it up.

_Or wouldn't_, Jude thought.

When her life was struggling a little, she always thought about that night. In her mind, it had made her stronger. Yes, she had cried the next day over him.

But she also knew that she had given her heart to him that night and when he didn't take it, she knew that he wasn't the guy she wanted to be with.

They had flirted around each other and the subject that entire year and she had finally done something about it.

She sang to him.

And he hadn't been willing to except what she was offering. That was her wake-up call.

But as she lay in her bed, her eyes closed tight, she couldn't help but wonder what if?

What if she hadn't decided to skate? What if she was still in New York City? What if she was still a student at NYU?

What if he had stayed?

She sat up, her back calling for a massage, and shook her head. No.

It didn't matter.

She was happy with her life. So it wasn't what she had planned. It was different.

But for the first time in a long time, she was happy.

* * *

**A/N**: Preview:

Chapter 2

"Meetings"

"_Things at American Cup 1 weren't so organized, but I have been notified that several our team members will be making the trek out to the first World Cup as World Team members. The invitations weren't official, so I wasn't able to give you the good news. Here's the list."_

"_I'm going to Italy?!"_

_----- _

"_Tom, I remember some young kid who came into my studio a few years ago and did a pretty good job at handling things for this. I think you'll do a great job even now."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I would like you to work with Angie and throw together our annual Halloween party."_

"_But I'm a producer."_

"_I understand that, you'll get to work on the music side of things. Angie will handle everything else. But you'll need to work together."_

"_Fine."_

_----- _

"_Jude, I'm really sorry."_

"_It's fine. I'm over him – I mean it. I'm over it."_

"_Uh huh. Listen, maybe you should come down. G-Major's throwing-"_

"_I know. And I can't. That's why I'm calling."_


End file.
